Thursday, March 31, 2016

After pilfering their weasly black guts out, the party continued their search of the icy subterrane. It was not long before they encoutered a group of scholarly frost toads who had evidently taken it upon themselves to document a detailed history of the great white dragon, Arathator. Through conversation with these bookish amphibians, our heroes leaned that the Drachorn, once owned by Arathator, was traded to a group of men dressed in black not long ago. Not only this, but allegedly McCaff the Crimson was residing on this very glacier!

Thankfully, without much trouble, the long lost sorcerer was located. After the group persuaded her to accompany them back to Waterdeep, they convinced the Frost Toads to come along - with their invaluable draconic tomes! Marflub was delighted to know his life's work was to be published!

And so, the council of Waterdeep warmly welcomed our adventures' return. Much had been learned by the council in the party's absence, however. Leosin advised the group that a Zhentarim thief had stolen a white dragon mask from a Dwarf named Varram the White - a dragonspeaker! This Dwarf was last seen near Bariskyr Bridge. There was no time to waste. Leosin gave the party a pass to use a teleportation circle leading to Scornuble, and tasked our intrepid lot with capturing or killing the dragonspeaker.

The party quickly found a ship, the Frostskimmer, captained by Larista Half-Face. For days they sailed the icy sea in search of any clue that could guide them. Killian, using an old ritual, took an opportunity to commune with the natural world around him. It was through this that he learned of a populated iceberg nearby.

Upon reaching the iceberg, the group encountered a small village of native. Although not too friendly, Killian questioned the local chief how best to demonstrate their good intentions and earn the respect of the village. The answer was to best their greatest warrior in combat. A challenge gladly accepted by the young Killian.

It was a quick duel. Killian bested his opponent with little effort. Now, having earned the respect of the village, they were given shelter for the night. During the night the local shaman visited the party and informed them that an evil white dragon, Arathator, and his mate were nearby. He led them to a secret tunnel that would take them to their foe and possibly the Tiefling they sought, but warned them of the dangers that lie ahead.

Sure enough, the encountered Arathator in the depths of the icy cavern. Now was the time when the newest members of the party demonstrated their calibur. Killian grappled the great beast with his bare hands - crikey! While the rest of the group took the opportunity to assault the beast, Roscoe, a halfling who had joined the party in the underdark, used a relic to summon a giant flame elemental. After much ado, Arathator was nothing but ash.

The return to Waterdeep was bittersweet. Kaelthiros could not be resurrected, and there was no hope of bringing back Murry. Gundren sought out some much needed recouperation, and Mullyn rejoined the party.

Moments later, the city square in which they stood was invaded by a band of cultists led by none other than the long-forgotten Redbrand, Frank. During their skirmish with these opponents, the party encountered a new ally - a young tribesman native to the area North of the Greypeak Mountains named Killian Wolfrunner. After the cultists fled, Killian explained that his people had sought refuge in Waterdeep after being driven from their land. The party accepted his request to join the party.

The introduction was short-lived however, a great disturbance was felt in the very fabric of nature - a breeze, and a strange silence overtook them all. Strange. The party took the now-polymorphed Frank (thanks Mullyn) to the council of Waterdeep to see what could be learned. It was soon discovered that a relic named the Darkkorn had been blown, calling all dragons towards it. An ill change of fate indeed. The council informed our adventurers that the Drachorn was last seen with a Tiefling who was part of the Arcane Brotherhood, McCaff the Crimson. She was last seen in the Sea of Moving Ice. And that is where they would go.

There was one chance to save Gundren from being sacrificed: to complete a task for the Kuo-toa tribe which held them captive. Specifically, they were to kill an evil one-eyed creature and retrieve a magical staff. Should those objectives be achieved the Kuo-toa would create a teleportation circle for the party to exit the Underdark with Gundren.

Through various trials and winding tunnels the party traveled, until they came upon a large golden portal suspended in mid air. On the other side, in an enclosed arena, a Death Tyrant waited for them, guarding a magical staff. It was there that our heroes made their stand. The Death Tyrant finally fell - but not alone. Kaelthiros and Murry both had been reduced to little more than a pile of dust by great beams shot from the Tyrant’s eye stalks.

The ashes of Murry had been sucked back into the now-sealed bottle to which he had been attached - immovable and unbreakable. However, Dain was able to pocket some of the ranger’s ashes. Perhaps he could still be resurrected . . . time would tell.

The remnant traveled back to the Kuo-toa tribal village with proof of their deed, and the magical staff in hand. True to their word, The Kuo-toa allowed the party to exit the Underdark with Gundren.